Saturday, November 22, 2014

Crossing the Divide

Safely over the Rockies ahead of the storm, completing a nearly precipitation-free transit from Virginia with no weather-related problems staying at or above the posted minimum speed limit.

Photos later; Laurie is serving bison chili for dinner.

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Details of the day, after an excellent dinner. Diary rolls back to dawn in eastern Colorado ....

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Time to leave Flatland -- up early and on the road by 8. Three hours later, a mountain on the horizon -- another hour, and the end of the Great Plains is clearly in view.

Refueled, GPS reset, and headed up the first climb by 11:30. Tennessee river rats under the hood straining hard and doing well enough to keep up with the traffic in the right hand lane, no overheating problems.

Photos don't do the beauty of the Rockies justice. Then again, neither does multitasking flash moments of awe secondary to running freeway speeds around tractor trailers and tourists struggling up and down the grades. Here's some, anyhow.

The Summit Park

When the sunshine disappeared, it was clearly time to get down off the mountain! Here's photos of the oncoming storm curling over the ridges.

The Ion carried me safely down the mountain, though, completing the journey with no more than a few showers. Well worth it for the warm welcome!

Current plan is to occupy the cabin at Powderhorn on Monday. More rocks and trees then!